


Facing the past

by Kamahontas



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: F/M, Facing the past, Ishbal | Ishval, Ishbalan Character(s) | Ishvalan Character(s), after a war, dealing with parents' death, difficult past, reconstruction of a country
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-13
Updated: 2018-05-13
Packaged: 2019-05-06 07:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14637420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kamahontas/pseuds/Kamahontas
Summary: Winry wants to see Ishval, the place where her parents died. Edward is accompanying her.





	Facing the past

**Author's Note:**

> English isn't my primary language, so I'm sorry for any possible mistakes.

For the last few days, Winry was extremely silent. It was pretty unusual behavior as for her since she was always full of energy, but now she was quiet, and most of the time she was spending in her room or workshop. Of course, the girl explained that she just had a lot of work, and that's why she didn't spend much time with her family. Yet, Edward knew her all too well to believe her words. As for now, though, he didn't say a word. He was rather busy himself, coordinating the construction of new Alchemy School. He was to be a principal there, not a janitor, but he ended up as the one to look over the works.

As Edward came home for a lunch break, a worried frown of Pinako greeted him. This was surprising the least. Did something happen? Normally, the grandmother was in a good mood, especially when she had so much work as she had right now.

"Hey, granny. What's up? You seem to be worried…" He asked as he joined the woman on the porch.

"I'm concerned. And, I have to ask you something."

"What is it?" Edward asked confused.

"Have you had an argument with Winry?"

"No; not at all!” he shook his head energetically.  “I guess you're asking because she's extremely silent for some time now. I have no idea why. When I asked, she told me she had a lot to do, and this was the reason for her bad condition. But, I don't believe it. In fact, I wanted to talk to her about it tonight."

“Oh, good; glad it's nothing between the two of you.”

The two of them entered the house, to sit in the kitchen, the very center of life in this house. For all the time Edward was wondering what was wrong with Winry. Was she sick? If so, what was it? Remembering the hidden illness of his mother, Ed was getting more and more worried. What if Winry will…? No! He cannot think this way! She's fine, and nothing bad will happen to her. In the evening, he'll talk to her and force her to tell him what was wrong. Suddenly, the girl joined her family. She seemed to be down like some gloomy thoughts were totally occupying her mind.

"Hey, Winry. How are you?" He asked as she sat next to him.

"Fine." She replied with a voice that had no tone.

"You won't trick me. Something's wrong."

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.

"Are you going back to the building-site?"

"Mhm, in a quarter I have to leave."

"Can I go with you?"

"Sure. Maybe we'll talk on the way, ha?"

"Alright."

They were in the middle of the distance between their house and the construction site, but Winry was still silent. Finally, he decided to break this stillness.

"Alright, there is only two of us, so tell me what's wrong. And don't try your tricks, I know you all too well."

"Ed, what's going on in Ishval now?"

"What?!"

"Roy wanted to restore this state, right? Is he there?"

"I don't think so. As far as I remember, Havoc is to coordinate the mission there. But, why on earth you're asking about Ishval?!"

"I was thinking about a short trip there. I want to see this place. Understand why my parents had to die there. Was it really so hard in Ishval?"

Ed was totally shocked. Was Winry still thinking about that war so often? If she really wanted to go there, he had to follow her. She was too sensitive to go there on her own.

"You really want to go to Ishval? Don't you think it would be too hard for you to see the place where they died?"

"I was thinking about it for last few days. I made a decision, next week, I'm going to Ishval."

"I'm going with you. I will not let you go on your own, not there!"

 

For the very first time, Ed was glad that he had to call Roy Mustang to give him a report on the construction of the school. To make it easier, someone from Central came to connect a military phone in the house, so now he didn't have to fight with every secretary of the president. The only disadvantage of this line was the fact that it was controlled, so everyone could overhear the conversation.

"Colonel Elric here. May I talk with General Mustang?" He asked the secretary on the other side of the line.

"Hey, Fullmetal!" He heard the voice of Roy a second later. "How is it going with the construction?"

"Not bad. We should be done before winter. I'll bring the bills next month, okay?"

"You're fast. I knew I've chosen the best person for this investment. So, I'll see you soon, right?"

"Mhm, if a month is not long for you." Ed grinned. "Oh, Roy, I have a question about something not connected with the school. What's the situation in Ishval now? Any new changes?"

"It's more or less calm there. Why?"

"Winry wants to go there, and I think I should go with her."

"Edward, don't do this! You hear me? Don't let Winry go to Ishval! You know who's there?!"

"From the panic in your voice, I can guess that it's Scar. I've heard that General Armstrong sent him there. You're right; she shouldn't meet him. But, on the other hand, you know how stubborn she is. I'm afraid that even the news about Scar being still alive, and he helping in reviving Ishval won't stop her. I guess we need a special permission from you, right?"

"Uhm… you need an entry visa as for now. I should cancel them within a year, though."

"Either way, please, could you give us the visas. As I know Winry, she won't stop asking me to help her."

"You're a soldier. You can go there without any permission. I'll call the border guard. They will let Winry in with you. Just tell me, when you want to go to Ishval."

"Uhm… she mentioned next week."

"Alright, then since the following week for next month you are able to go there."

"Thanks. So, see you next month." With this Edward hang up the call, and rested his back against the wall. "Dammit. If Scar's there…" He groaned heavily. Not knowing what to do, he went to the big room that was used as Pinako's workshop. "Hey, granny." He said closing the door behind him.

"Oh, Edward. Have you talked with Winry?"

"Yeah, this whole strange mood of hers was about her new plan. She wants to go to Ishval. I'm against this, but she's too stubborn. I won't even try to oppose. I called Roy, he will send a message to our borders, so we can enter Ishval without any trouble. What else could I do? What's more, I learned that someone, who she shouldn't see anymore is back there."

"Scar, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"The Ishvalan who killed Urey and Sara… do you think it's a good idea to risk the meeting with him?"

"If I only could, I'd never allowed for this. The best would be to never let Winry go to Ishval, but…"

"If she won't change her mind, will you go with her?"

"Yes, of course. I know she cannot do it on her own. She's too sensitive."

"Good, then I'll be sure she'll be fine. Edward?"

"What is it, granny?"

"Be careful there."

"We will. Don't worry. I'm still the military, so nothing will happen to us."

 

Ishval, once a district of Amestris, now prepared to become an independent country. There were still many signs of the war, ruins, mass graves, even an abandoned toy; all this made Ed down. And the fact that his fiancée was walking next to him, made things only more difficult, since he knew how painful it was for her to come to Ishval. He looked at Winry, she seemed to be depressed. He didn't say anything, at this moment any word would be improper. The couple walked along damaged streets. So, that's how it looked like. It was a view of misery. People around were working hard, but even though they've already done a lot, there was even more left to do.

"Ed, do you know where the hospital was?" The girl asked in a shaking voice.

"Not really, but I can ask someone. But, Winry? Are you sure you want to go there? It's the place…"

"That's why. Edward, if I won't try, I will never be able to leave it behind."

He took a deep breath. This girl was more stubborn than he thought.

"Well, alright. We'll try to find this place."

They slowly went to a military office. To Edward's relief, at the desk, he saw Second Lieutenant Jean Havoc.

"Hey, Fullmetal! What are ya doin' here?" He asked saluting.

"Uhm, I'm escorting my crazy fiancée." The younger soldier replied, returning the gesture.

"You what?!"

"So, Roy hasn't told you? I'm engaged to Winry, my automail mechanic. Oh, well it's kinda long story, I'll tell you someday, okay? As for now, I need help… where was the hospital where the Rockbells worked?"

"Come on, I'll take you there." Winry was waiting for Ed in front of the building. "So, this is your famous mechanic, right?"

"Aye. Havoc, this is my wife-to-be, Winry Rockbell."

"Nice to meet you." Havoc said.

The three of them walked down something that once was the main street. At its end, a big ground-level-building was situated. It was almost undestroyed.

"Here we are. Will you be alright? Edward, don't take me wrong, I have to go back to the office…"

"Okay. Thanks a lot. Hope to see you soon."

 

Inside the building was dark, even though it was only two in the afternoon, in the middle of the spring. All around the biggest hall were damaged beds and mats, the remaining of bandages and other destroyed hospital equipment. This was horrifying. Winry got shivers, as soon as they entered the devastated hospital. Edward held her hand, to give her support.

"If you'll feel that you cannot go further, tell me."

"I'll be fine." She said. Yet, soon she realized how wrong she was. In the end, they entered a small room, which seemed to be a room for the doctors. Only this place looked like someone was still living here. Even though it was impossible because the hospital in this location was closed since the end of the civil war. "Do you think they lived in this chamber?"

"Might be. It looks pretty much like a place for the doctors on duty. Winry, are you alright?" Ed was more and more worried. This wasn't a good place for a travel, especially that at any time they could bump into Scar. Even though he wasn't dangerous anymore, he was the one who killed Winry's parents, nonetheless.

"Don't worry, Edward. I'll be fine." She replied, drying tears with the sleeve of her jacket. Ed wished they could already go back, but here he was stuck in this small room. He looked around, and suddenly he froze. Through the opened door of the chamber, he saw a mark of transmutation on the wall of the main hall. Damn, it was here! Winry cannot see this. He thought. He almost panicked. What if she sees this mark, and realizes what it is? She has seen so many remaining of transmutations that she'd recognize this one immediately. To all the more of his consternation, Winry somehow followed his look to the wall. Like in a trance she walked up to the facet and stopped at the very center of the transmutation mark.

"This happened here…"

Edward was silent. This particular spot was something more than a place. This was where Winry lost her parents. He let her stand in this location. She had to think about everything connected with the events from the times of Ishval war. On the other hand, it was extremely hard for him to see how sad she was. She was suffering, he could say it only by looking at her. It was a very bad idea to come here. Winry should never visit this place, but she was strenuous. In most of the situations, it was a good feature of her, yet not in this case. It passed a quarter more before the girl finally turned around to face Edward. As he saw her face, he had to gain all his strength not to cry with her. He wasn't sure what to do, but somehow he knew he had to find a way to comfort her.

"It's alright now." He said holding her tight. "I know. We cannot go back in time, nor do anything about these events. All we can do is keep living. I'm sure Auntie Sara and Uncle Urey would want you to go forward." He smiled a bit. "Look, in a way, they will never die. They're in your blood, and they will also be in the blood of our kids, and so on."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah. Come on, I think we should go now." He wanted to let Winry off of him, but she grabbed his hand and held it.

"Edward…"

"What is it?"

"Thank you. Thank you for coming here with me. I needed it a lot. You're right. I should look to the future, not the past. Remember when you asked me when we can get married?"

"Mhm… you told me you're not ready yet. Hope you know, I respect this?"

"Aye. But, now when I finally could confront the past, there's only one thing I want to do before I'll be ready to marry you."

"What?"

"Meeting Scar. I told him that I could forgive him, but I will never forget. I know; I helped him, back then in the North, but… do you think we can find him?"

"Okay. I'll ask Havoc."

"You don't have to ask anyone, Fullmetal Alchemist. I was observing you for quite some time now. So, you came to see where I murdered your parents?" Scar appeared out from behind a large fallen pillar. "If I only knew how much sorrow I would cause..."

"You could have predicted it." Winry got angry.

"Your right... But I wasn't in my right mind in that moment. All I can say is that I am sorry for what happened... for what I did. And now I will have to carry the weight of my mistakes with me. I plan to remain here, helping to rebuild this place, and the people in it. It won't make up for my past sins, but I hope to live my life helping others, like your parents once did. Farewell Miss Rockbell, Edward Elric." With this, the man walked away.

 

The train station in Ishval was probably the smallest they've ever seen. As they were waiting for their transport, they were thinking of what happened only a few minutes ago. All that Winry wanted to settle was now done. For a while, she was sitting on a bench at the tracks on her own, because Edward went to see when the next train riding through Resembool would arrive.

"We still have almost an hour of waiting." He said as he was back from the station's building. "By late tonight, or early in the morning, we should be home."

"Ed, you probably want me to answer your question from a few months ago… right?"

Edward looked at her surprised. He had no idea what she was even talking about.

"What question?"

She smiled at him. Looking truly happy, and like a weight was lifted from her shoulders at last. Maybe coming here wasn't such a bad idea after all?

"You asked me about our marriage…"

"Oh, that one. Well, it's up to you. Whenever will be good for you, it'll be perfect for me."

"So, maybe when we get home, we'll check when the best date will be?" Winry asked with a bright smile on her face.

Edward returned the smile. Finally, Winry was acting like usually.

"Alright. It's going to be the first thing we'll do after returning home."


End file.
